Flights to Charlotte Douglas

A stunning city in North Carolina, Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, the second largest city in the Southeastern United States and the seat of Mecklenburg County. Rated as the 3rd largest growing city in Unites States, the city is also 22nd largest in the US and 7th largest in U.S. in terms of population. Charlotte is the center for many reputed corporate headquarters like Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Sobriquet as the Queen City, Charlotte is located close to Catawaba River and Lake Norman lies to the south east of the city. Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake are two smaller man-made lakes located near Charlotte. The city is located at an elevation of 751 meters above sea level and has a population of 809,958 that cover the land area of 771 km2. The local residents of the city are called as Charlotteans and English is the official language spoken by the majority of the people. Globalization and World Cities Research Network listed Charlotted as a "gamma-plus" global city.

Overview

The city is served by Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which is the major airport in the country and all flights coming to Charlotte, land at this airport. The airport ranked as the 23rd busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic in 2013. A joint civil-military public international airport, the Charlotte Douglas International Airport provides service to more than 175 domestic and international destinations. The city experiences a humid subtropical climate and has 4 distinct seasons – short and cold winters from November to February, followed by spring in March-May. Summer in Charlottes is very hot and lasts from June till August. The months from September and November are autumn season and during this time the city enjoys cool weather. March through May or from September through November is the best months to plan a holiday in Charlotte. St. Patrick's Day Parade in March 17, Springfest in April, Tuck Fest in April, Kings Drive Art Walk in April, Charlotte Wine and Food Weekend in April, PGA Tour Wells Fargo Championship in April-May, Taste of Charlotte in June, Charlotte Pride in August, Speed Street Festival in May, Queen City Fringe in September and Charlotte BBQ Championship in October are most popular events and festivals in Charlotte.

City Attractions

Charlotte Museum of History is the major attraction in Charlotte famous for imparting descriptive information on Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Hezekiah Alexander House, the Kitchen, and the Springhouse are among the few well restored attractions located within the museum. Levine Museum of the New South is a wonderful place to see excellent collection of exhibits encompassing post-Civil War southern history. When in Charlotte, do not miss a visit to Discovery Place which hoses 3 museums - Discovery Place, Discovery Place KIDS and the Charlotte Nature Museum. These museums allow the tourists to experience the science and technology along with exploring the nature world in a new way.

Hendrick Motorsports Museum (exhibiting different components of a race car), Paramount's Carowinds (amusement park and water park), NASCAR Hall of Fame (to enjoy behind-the-scenes look at how NASCAR), Billy Graham Library (a unique library cum museum), Bechtler Museum of Modern Art (showcasing art of most influential artists of the mid-20th century) and Mint Museum of Art (oldest art museum in North Carolina) are among the major sightseeing places in Charlotte.

Eating and Shopping

The food indigenous to Charlotte is very similar to that of American South and grits, sweet potatoes (yams), and greens are used widely. If you are on diet then make sure you stay away from the southern food, which is typically high in fats and carbohydrates Charlotte is a metropolitan city offering a wide range of restaurants serving wide array of local as well as international cuisines. Aria Tuscan Grill, Barrington’s Restaurant, Basil Thai, Bistro La Bon, Blue Restaurant & Bar, BLT Steak, Carpe Diem and Copper are the most popular restaurants in Charlotte, where you can enjoy a great meal. The city is also very popular for its night life which can be best enjoyed at - The Ritz-Carlton, Enso Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar, World of Beer, Small Bar, Rich & Bennett’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl, VBGB, Butter NC, Crave Dessert Bar, Prohibition and The Common Market South End. Cheerwine is a local drink that should be enjoyed in Charlotte.

The city currently has very limited option for those planning to go shopping in the city. Tourists need to head out to the suburbs which are filled with malls and shopping centers. Metropolitan Midtown, Concord Mills, Carolina Place Mall, Eastland Mall, Northlake Mall, SouthPark Mall, Belgate Dilworth and Plaza-Midwood are the major shopping destinations. The city is also famous for its ‘green market’ that are held during the summer season.